Alarm systems, such as fire alarm and security systems, typically include one or more alarm panels that receive information from various sensors that are distributed throughout a monitored structure or area. For example, a typical fire alarm system may include several alarm panels that are installed at various locations throughout a building and that are connected to one another via a data network. Each alarm panel may be operatively connected to a plurality of initiating devices (e.g., smoke detectors, manually-actuated pull stations, etc.) that are distributed throughout respective areas of the building.
During normal operation of the alarm system, the alarm panels may monitor electrical signals associated with each of the respective initiating devices connected thereto for variations that may represent the occurrence of an alarm condition. For example, a variation in a particular electrical signal may represent the detection of smoke by a smoke detector in a corresponding area of the building in which the smoke detector is located, and may cause the alarm panel to enter an alarm mode. The alarm panel may be configured to respond to such a condition by initiating certain predefined actions, such as communicating the alarm condition to other alarm panels in the building and activating one or more notification appliances (e.g. strobes, sirens, public announcement systems, etc.) within the building.
A first shortcoming associated with traditional alarm systems of the type described above is that they typically require the installation of a dedicated data network within a monitored building to facilitate communication between alarm panels. Such installations are generally very expensive and require significant maintenance and supervision. A more convenient and less expensive solution is to connect alarm panels to one another via a building's existing data network, such as an Internet protocol (IP) compatible data network within a building that is used primarily for connecting business and/or personal computers to one another and to the Internet. However, such networks are generally not robust or reliable enough to meet government issued safety guidelines (e.g., fire codes) that establish minimum requirements for connection supervision, redundancy, battery backup capability, etc., which are of particular importance within the context of fire alarm system applications.